Wonderful River Cottage with Great Hiking Trails in Montana | Cottage in Pray

Yellowstone Riverfront- private fishing access with AC
Relax in our wonderful home on the banks of the Yellowstone River, made even more comfortable in 2023 with new central heating and air conditioning! Our house is the perfect home base for hiking and day trips to magnificent Yellowstone National Park (40 min), Livingston, Bozeman and surrounding areas! Other popular things to do include visiting nearby Chico Hot Springs resort for a soak and swim, horseback riding, and award-winning restaurant meals in both the saloon and fine dining restaurant (8 miles away). It's also a perfect fishing retreat, with our own shore of the "wild and scenic" Yellowstone River only steps away. [Note that the river level varies according to the season: highest during the Spring as it swells with mountain snow-melt and lowest (but still great for fishing) in the late summer and early autumn when the beach area is broader and you can walk along it beside the river.] After the Spring run off and silt subsides (usually around mid June to July), the fishing is great right behind the house! You can walk out the door and down the small hill in the back yard to the water's edge. There are several boat launches nearby as well. (You can book guided rafting or guided fishing excursions or just rent watercraft locally to explore on your own.)
Inside the air-conditioned main home, we have everything you could need for an amazing home away from home experience including an extremely well-equipped kitchen, high quality bedding and high speed internet. Make this home yours for family reunions, hunting trips, fishing adventures or quiet wildlife viewing any time of year.
Enjoy the views of the Gallatin Peaks and Absaroka mountains from the wrap around porch (with gas BBQ grill). Take in the sunset over the river right from the comfort of the deck. This open concept home lends itself to entertaining groups large and small. Comfy furniture and stocked kitchen give you everything you need for sharing a truly wonderful vacation experience with your friends and family.
This property consists of an air-conditioned main house and a close-by detached guest studio apartment with a kitchenette. (The guest house is not air-conditioned, but has screened windows to let in the cool evening air.) (Both houses are provided to every group at no extra charge.) This guest house is a wonderful amenity for a bit more privacy for two people.
The main house has three bedrooms. The two main floor bedrooms have queen sized beds with luxury bedding. The third bedroom is a large loft with two twin beds and one queen bed.
There are two bathrooms within the main house, and both were beautifully remodeled and reconfigured in 2022. Both the main house and the guest house have their own washer/dryer. The kitchen is well stocked with herbs, spices, olive oil, baking supplies and condiments. We even have a few cookbooks in case you need a bit more inspiration! We know how challenging new environments can be with kids, so we have a pack 'n play, high chair and kid friendly cups, plates, bowls and cutlery. The house is complete with paper products for your stay as well as body wash in the showers and laundry detergent. In case you forgot your hairdryer, we have that too!
You'll find the living room bookshelves stocked with guidebooks and local information to help guide your vacation planning.
Enjoy the peace and quiet of the nearby guest house with its King sized bed, kitchenette, private bath and second washer and dryer. All with a river view as well.
There is a wonderful lawn for yard games, relaxing after a long day or playing with the kids. You might also like to make s'mores as you sit around the fire pit in the back yard, just a short walk downhill closer to the river. We do provide some seasonal firewood, but we also recommend grabbing some at a convenience store on your way since it can run out during busy seasons.
In Gardiner, about 40 minutes south, you can book and depart on group rafting trips on the Yellowstone River. Both whitewater and gentle water options are available. Large and scenic Daley Lake (15 miles away) has sandy beaches and is great for boating, fishing and swimming! Or take the gorgeous 5 mile hike to Pine Creek Lake from the nearby trailhead (starts easy, becomes moderate, and then moderate-strenuous, but the path is a good one and well marked.) Views along the trail are breathtaking and the lake itself is a gorgeous idyllic jewel ringed by peaks, and flows into a waterfall below. Pine Creek Cafe is a great spot for breakfast and they also have an evening music venue.
We are located just 40 minutes north of the iconic original stone archway that is the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park, in Gardiner, MT. The drive there itself is an experience where you will see bald eagles, elk, deer, and even a bison or two along the banks of the Yellowstone. And that's all before you get to the park! This north entrance takes you up to Mammoth Hot Springs where you can explore the boardwalks through the famous expansive travertine-limestone terraces created over thousands of years, as geothermal water has gently flowed over the hillside leaving ever-changing colorful mineral deposits. From there head east to Tower Falls and the wildlife of the Lamar Valley, or south toward a series of geyer basins that include Old Faithful, Yellowstone's most famous geyser (erupting several times per day) plus hundreds of other amazing geysers, mud pots, and colorful pools, viewable from extensive boardwalks. Or walk the rim of the deep and beautiful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and view its majestic waterfalls from the Inpiration Point and Artist's Point viewing platforms. Take a boat ride or swim on the sandy beaches of huge Yellowstone Lake, the source of the mighty untamed Yellowstone River. View the bison and elk herds in Lamar Valley, along the Madison River and throughout the park in this huge natural preserved ecosystem that is unique in the world.
This home is just a short 10+ minute drive to Chico Hot Springs resort. Chico is famous for its healing natural hot springs, lively bar with live music and more recently, its amazing wedding venue which operates all year long. Stay with us if you want more space for yourself but you'll still have the luxury of heading there for a soak, drinks and dancing at the bar or evening out at their award winning world class restaurant.
The Old Saloon is open for business in Emigrant across the river. This landmark in the town of Emigrant has been serving up cocktails since 1902. Locals and visitors alike are welcome and find it a great place to celebrate the heritage of the old west. Its a great place for live music all summer long. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Sage Lodge is also roughly 15 minutes away. This is another luxury wedding venue with a full restaurant that is open year round.
All this is just an hour drive from the Big Sky/Bozeman International Airport. The drive is straightforward and easy to navigate. Just follow the river up stream to this piece of heaven in Paradise Valley. Remember, this is Montana and you are in the Rocky Mountains, so while roads are maintained year round, choose an appropriate all wheel drive vehicle for fall and winter travel. It can snow here at just about any time of year!
The house is a great location if you are coming to Montana during fall or winter hunting seasons, as well as for winter snowmobiling, or animal viewing in any season. Visitors to Yellowstone National Park enjoy fewer crowds and more wildlife in the less visited seasons of Fall through Spring. Any season is a great time to visit. This north entrance of Yellowstone Park is the only park entrance that is open year-round and plowed for normal vehicles. All other entrances close to normal vehicles for the winter season, from November through April 21.
We have been enjoying the Paradise valley for decades and finally had the opportunity to make a piece of it our own. We spend summer free time floating and fly fishing the river, hiking in the mountains and exploring the area with our three small boys. Having a home we love that we can share with others is amazingly rewarding for us. As Bozeman locals, it's easy to forget what a special place we live in. Sharing it with others is a great reminder of how unique the Montana way of life can be. This is not our first dip into vacation rentals though. We own 4 other vacation homes, including one in Island Park, Idaho.
We have hosted hundreds of happy guests and can't wait to do the same on your next vacation. We have learned from our other homes what it takes to make a truly amazing experience. The house is outfitted as if it were our own residence. We like our guests to find every amenity required to flow through their daily tasks and not struggle with the unfamiliar in a new home. We hope you find our house to be welcoming and accommodating to your needs.
This home was built for entertaining! Its open kitchen and living room invite you in to spend time with family and friends. We love this stretch of the Yellowstone for its protected views and privacy, with State land access next door and across the river.
We are located in Pray, Montana in the beautiful Paradise Valley, just 42 miles north of the original iconic stone archway entry to Yellowstone National Park. The drive there itself is an amazing experience. You are likely to see bald eagles, elk, deer, and even a bison or two along the banks of the Yellowstone. And that's all before you get to the park! The north entrance (open all year for vehicles) soon takes you up to Mammoth Hot Springs where you can visit the famous terraced limestone pool formations. From there head to Old Faithful to see Yellowstone's most famous geyser, or to the other geyser basins full of natural thermal wonders; from multi-colored hot springs to bubbling mud pots. See the animal herds in the Hayden Valley or along the Madison River. Go to Lamar Valley to view wolf packs at a distance with binoculars or scopes. Hike to the many waterfalls, chief among them the Upper and Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Enjoy boat rides or fishing on vast Yellowstone Lake, or visit the very interesting educational displays in the park's many visitor centers. Yellowstone Park is a natural wonder, unlike any other in the world!
This home is also just a short 8 mile drive to Chico Hot Springs resort. Chico is famous for its healing natural hot springs, lively bar with live music and its amazing wedding venue which operates all year long. You'll have the luxury of heading to Chico for a swim, a soak, drinks and dancing at the bar, or a meal at their award winning world class restaurant. Horseback riding is also available there.
The Old Saloon is open for business in Emigrant across the river. This rustic landmark in the town of Emigrant has been serving up drinks and cocktails since 1902. Locals and visitors alike are welcome and find it a great place to celebrate the heritage of the old west. There is live music performed there all summer long. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This home is just an hour drive from the Big Sk

Wonderful River Cottage with Great Hiking Trails in Montana is located in Livingston. Wonderful River Cottage with Great Hiking Trails in Montana provides accommodation, featuring Wellness Facilities, Fireplace/Heating, Laundry, among other amenities. This Cottage features Wellness Facilities, Fireplace/Heating, Laundry, to make your stay a comfortable one.

Wonderful River Cottage with Great Hiking Trails in Montana has 4 Bedrooms , 3 Bathrooms, and max occupancy of 10 people. The minimum rental for this property is 1 nights, but this can change depending on the season you plan on staying. Previous guests have given good rated it, and VRBO labeled it a top-rated Cottage because of the excellent services rendered by the owner or manager of this Cottage, and has consistently provided great experiences for their guests. Most families or guests that use it recommend it to their friends and some of them are repeat guests. Cottage has a friendly neighborhood, and the Livingston has interesting places to visit. If you want to learn more about the Cottage in Livingston, such as places to visit and things to do nearby, you can check below to learn more.